POET LAUREATE OF VIRGINIA WILL DELIVER PEPLE LECTURE AT UNIVERSITY OF
RICHMOND

George Garrett, poet laureate of Virginia, will deliver the 2003 Edward C.
and Mary S. Peple Lecture on Feb. 10 at the University of Richmond.

Garrett, also a novelist and perhaps best known for his "Elizabethan
Trilogy": "Death of the Fox," "The Succession: A Novel of Elizabeth and
James" and "Entered from the Sun," will talk on "'The Glory of My Crown':
How Elizabeth I Helped Shape America" at 8 p.m. in the Jepson Alumni Center.
"The more I look," Garrett says, "the more I see how much influence Queen
Elizabeth I had on the shaping of America, both positively and negatively."
A number of our democratic ideals flow from her, often inadvertently,
Garrett believes.

"She couldn't afford to have a standing army," Garrett says, "so she created
the concept of a citizen army," mustering them for engagements like the one
with the Spanish Armada. After the battle, however, "she would give them a
speech and send them home. She was very tight with them to save thousands of
pounds."

To come together quickly, the militia had to keep arms at home. Garrett
believes America's military draft and second amendment to the Constitution
came out of Elizabeth's policies.

Elizabeth I also probably invented public relations, Garrett says. "She was
very conscious of her image," even controlling which pictures of her could
be hung in private homes. Garrett is Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative
Writing, Emeritus, at the University of Virginia. He has written more than
30 books and edited more than 20 others. He has published in almost every
genre. His most recent works include the nonfiction book "Going to See the
Elephant: Pieces of a Writing Life," the novel "The King of Babylon Shall
Not Come Against You" and "Bad Man Blues: A Portable George Garrett."

Garrett's speech, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the
Friends of Boatwright Memorial Library. A reception will follow. For further
information, please call 289-8454.


Melinda Parker Skinner
Annual Fund Director
Library of Virginia Foundation
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219-8000
Phone: (804) 692-3591
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